Former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder, Joey Barton, has criticized the African Cup of Nations, claiming it is not a major tournament, following the controversies that marred this year’s final between hosts Morocco and eventual champions Senegal.
The AFCON 2025 final descended into chaos after Senegalese players walked off the field during second-half stoppage time with the score still goalless, following a penalty awarded to Morocco for a foul on Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz.
Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane remained on the pitch, urging his teammates to return for the penalty. The Senegalese squad had already been enraged after a goal was disallowed minutes earlier for what appeared to be a soft foul.
Tensions spilled into the stands as some Senegalese fans attempted to storm the pitch, clashing with security personnel.
The match was paused for nearly 20 minutes before Diaz could take his penalty, which was weakly struck as a ‘panenka’ and saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. In the fourth minute of extra time, Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal, securing Senegal their second AFCON title.
Reflecting on the disorder that overshadowed the final, Barton said on a podcast that the incidents between Morocco and Senegal only exposed long-standing problems with organization and security.
“Now we know it’s not a major tournament. Let’s not be outraged again if some northern Europeans call it a farce—after all, we had a 20-minute delay,” Barton said.
“We were on the brink of a stadium war. There was a corrupt system where matches were tilted in favor of the host nation.
“On top of that, the goalkeeper was being chased by Moroccan ball boys right on the pitch,” he added.
